1. madgoblin

   10

   This game is an amazing game. Really, it is. It puts you into a world of endless impending doom, which is great for getting into the game. The game gives a tough challenge, and even though the game gets slightly bad in design near the end of the game, it still gives you a great atmosphere and a great experience, with heaps of re-playability.
   
   Don't be scared of the difficulty, and don't be scared of the PC port. You can easily either download a mod or just play it, it will only hinder the experience slightly. The game also has great graphics, with good textures and some very good models, with detail in every inch of the environment.
   
   Even though the console port is sloppy, it really doesn't hinder the experience much. Play this game, and love it.… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 2 users said Yes.
2. FarscapeSDC

   8

   Having played the original Xbox 360 version of Dark Souls, I find myself feeling just the tiniest bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I was exceedingly happy to finally have my beloved Dark souls on my powerful PC, but the problem with it is despite my Desktop having superior hardware, the bad design choice when "From Software" was porting it over makes me a bit regretful.
   
   To start with, Dark Souls was designed to be a console game, which means that the controls were designed with consoles in mind. The game is almost unplayable on a Keyboard and mouse set-up. If you want to be able to play the game, one must have an Xbox 360 or a PS3 controller plugged into their PC.
   
   The second main complaint is the awful frame-rate and pathetic resolution. By default, the game is locked at 30 FPS (Max) and 1280x840 resolution. This is utterly unacceptable. Thankfully there is a mod called "DSfix" which allows you to kick the resolution up to a lovely 1900x1300 (although you cannot increase the frame-rate without pissing off Games-For-Windows-Live, which can get you banned from playing the game online)
   
   My third main complaint is about the game's main demon, one far more frightening than any of the actual in-game demons -- Games For Windows Live (GFWL). The game runs with GFWL taking care of its online component, making the online component worse than playing on Xbox Live or the Playstation Network. Finding players to help you out (Cooperative PVE), or players to invade (PVP) is unreliable at best, and downright awful at worst. If you plan to play the PC version of Dark Souls online, you best have a strong Internet connection and a lot of patience.
   
   I shall now list my other, less important, complaints.
   - The Dark Souls tutorial worked well... on the console. From Software made the awful oversight of leaving all the in-game prompts in the Xbox 360 format, so anyone who is trying to play with a Keyboard will have no choice but to memorise the controls or learn through trial and error.
   - There are infrequent but very annoying graphical glitches.
   - The game crashes more often than I would expect.
   
   Despite my complaints, Dark Souls has a lot of good things going for it.
   
   The game is challenging while never feeling completely unfair. At no point did I feel like the game was just killing me for the hell of it. When you fight a difficult enemy and die, you learn its patterns and its tells, and then you go back and try again, and you succeed, because you have gotten better, which is something few games really do.
   
   The variety in the enemy design keeps the later stages of the game interesting. As opposed to the same creatures with increased stats, or just more enemies, you actually encounter different enemies with different attacks and different weaknesses.
   "Oh, you've beaten the zombie-warriors? Here's some Zombie-knights! Oh, you've beaten the zombie-knights? Here's some lightning-spitting lizard-men!" the game seems to cry as you transition seamlessly from area to area to encounter completely different atmospheres and enemies.
   
   The variety in enemies is further reflected in the level design. from abandoned asylums to ruined churches; from a glittering city of the gods to a murky swamp filled with poison-spitting mosquitoes; each area looks and feels different and atmospheric. And the best part? Almost no loading screens! With the exception of when I died, I didn't see a loading screen for the first six hours, which is very impressive. Instead of smaller areas connected by transition-screens, Dark Souls feels mostly like a massive, singular area that loops back in on itself t create shortcuts that you couldn't have anticipated until you reach them.
   
   Combat is slow and methodical, forcing you to un-learn some of the things other games have taught you. Running in and whaling away at an enemy with your massive cleaver is more likely to get you beaten to death than it is to get you victory. Taking your time and feeling the enemy out is more important than playing aggressively.
   
   Conclusion
   
   Dark Souls is still - despite all my complaints - an excellent game. It is challenging, fun, and entertainingly frustrating. However, if you are not willing to put up with the lower frame-rate, having to mod it to get the resolution up, and GFWL wreaking havoc on the online component, then you might want to get the game for Xbox 360 or PS3.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
3. Potitoman

   7

   Too much game!
   This game is easy to pick up but demands time, patience and diligence to master.
   The combat system is amazing. Simple but immensely deep and satisfying. Even the lowest ranking enemies will cut you to bits if you rush in or lose concentration.
   The world or Lordran is beautiful in a dark way. It's history and lore revealed only to those who seek it.
   
   The problem is that this game really does demand too much of you. If I were a teenager with nothing better to do, I would score this a 9 or 10, but as a married man that works and has two kids, this is too much. I don't have the time to go back and fight the same boss for the fifth time just to have my behind handed over to me.
   As a game, it's great. It is addictive as anything and very satisfying, but it does cross that line from being a game to feeling almost like a commitment. Too much for me.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
4. Gabcd

   4

   Horrible controller integration. Lots of user made fixes (that you have to figure out).
   
   Once you get to play the game, it doesn't look interesting enough to make you want to play.
   
   I'm sure this game is a lot of fun to most(some) people, but I am willing to uninstall this game without having played more than the couple minutes it takes to get past the first "boss".
   
   A waste of money to me.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.

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